I am the Queen

Evangeline's colorless and dull eyes glinted in recognition when Eric's face subjugated her entire view. But it constricted again while her body shuddered in hatred when Angel moaned Eric's name in pain.

Angel's misty eyes were holding a tear. Her face aggrieved while her nose was red and her quivering lips, which let out Eric's name intimately drove Evangeline to madness once more.

Snappily, Evangeline pulled her hand from Eric's grip. She raised it again, attempting to smack Angel's lecherous scheming face. And for a second time, Eric seized her hand. Only this time, more tightly, stopping her from harming the hateful woman.

"Let go of me!" Evangeline hissed. She was so angry her body quivered, trying to control herself from harming Eric.

Grimacing, Eric frowned even deeper, and his voice now had a tint of anger.

"Evangeline . . . stop it. It's . . . unsightly . . ."

Evangeline, who was struggling to get her hand back from Eric's grasp, abruptly stopped moving. Her brain, which was full of nothing but anger and jealousy, realized something while her eyes, which were blazing with fury, calmed down.

At this second, that time with Sisley replayed in her mind.

––"Why stick to a man who doesn't love you that much? You're losing your sense of self."

. . .

. . .

Sisley's face became gloomy, and her tone turned serious.

"Evangeline . . . you're only saying that because you don't understand. But once you do, try saying it on my face again?" ––

Ah . . .

It was like something she couldn't see––no, refused to see, was now being laid bare before her eyes, and the dark fog and heaviness she felt for the past days were clearing.

She, who was a person of ironed will. A person of pride and arrogance. A person who knew her worth. A person who didn't need anyone nor depend on anyone. A person who could look in the mirror and say that she was all she needed. She was enough . . . was gradually losing her sense of worth just because of a man?

A reason she so swore wouldn't be the reason which would change her.

However, without knowing it, she disregarded her pride to wait for a man. She discarded her worth to chase after a man who didn't even love her. She became dependent on a man who didn't even want to spend a bit of time with her.

And now . . . now that she realized what she was doing, her intense eyes steadily turned calm. But there was no glint nor sparkle in them unlike before.

Eric's solemn expression revealed a crack. His eyes flashed with worry when he saw the gradual changes on Evangeline's face.

She was calm as usual, yet he could no longer see the vivacity arrogance in her eyes nor the mocking, taunting, and haughty fake smile on her lips and his grip on her hand loosened bit by bit until he thoroughly released her.

Before he could voice out his worry for her, Evangeline raised both her hands, grabbed his collar, and pulled him closer until he felt a sudden pain from the impact of her teeth against his lips.

. . .

. . .

Everyone was stunned while Angel's mouth parted in shock. And before they could recover, Evangeline released Eric's collar and lifted her hand once more.

SLAP!

Without warning, something like sparkles of burnt spots appeared on Eric's vision, and for a moment, only ringing sounds kept bugging his ear before his mind completely cleared when he felt the numbness on his left cheek followed by a warm thick liquid trickling down his skin.

Blinking, his eyes slowly traveled towards Evangeline, who was now holding a smile, which made his hair tingling on edge.

"That's goodbye, Eric."

Without waiting for anyone to react, Evangeline flipped her hair, grabbed her purse, and walked out from the set. Not a care that she was still wearing a medieval maid's costume.

Eric, who still didn't know what was happening, felt his heart tightened while a crushing fear ate him, overpowering the indifference in his eyes. He had a feeling that once he let Evangeline go, he would never see her again.

Before he knew it, his body moved and chased after her. He extended his hand in an attempt to reach out and stop her.

"Eric."

But before he could, he found himself unable to move a single step, his arm feeling heavy. He didn't even turn to take a look at the person who held him. His eyes were desperately trying to see the woman who was leaving him –– pleading to turn around and go back to him.

Only . . . she didn't.

When Evangeline's silhouette disappeared, Eric's eyes steadily lost its color. His hand, which was reaching out to her, dropped lifelessly by his side.

He didn't even register what was happening around him. His mind utterly blanked out from the consuming anxiety and fear which came from his heart.

"Eric, your cheek is bleeding."

It felt like it was not only his cheek, every part of him was bleeding while his face, which was usually stoic, had now a defeated look.

From all the years he was working nonstop, this was the first he felt so tired. So tired and lifeless. He didn't find any meaning to what he was doing anymore.

On Eric's side, Angel, who recovered from her shock, was now holding Eric's arm tightly. Afraid if she let go, he would chase after Evangeline. And for the first time, she found the reason why she didn't want Eric to pursue after Evangeline was not because she wanted to spite her, it was more because she wanted him to look at her from now on.

Staring at Eric, a sorrowful expression appeared on her face when she saw the scar, left by Evangeline's nails, was dyeing his skin red. How much force did the woman use that even the skin was scraped?! Angel could tell that the wound was deep. It was fortunate it was not that long.

"Eric, we should patch your wound. It might get infected and leave a scar." Angel urged, not noticing that her cheek was swelling while she pulled the lifeless man towards her dressing room. Her manager and assistant glanced at each other before following behind, their lips curling inwardly in a tight line.

Remaining rooted in their post, everyone was still in a daze and at a loss as to what was happening.

One of the crew broke the silent and hesitantly asked the director, "W-what should we do now? I think Miss Heart will no longer shoot with us."

The director, who was paralyzed a moment ago because of the drama, had now regained his wits as he sighed in defeat. Massaging his temples, he grunted, "We'll use one of the shots we have and edit it a bit." His eyes then swept everyone as he shouted to wake them up.

"We'll take a one-hour snack break and resumed shooting after!"

----

Meanwhile, inside the room, Angel was busy disinfecting the wound on Eric's face while she told Fey and her manager to line up and get hers and Eric's snacks so she could have alone time with the man. Of course, after Fey helped patched the swelling on her face first, did they left her and Eric alone.

Eric was sitting on a chair while Angel was seated beside him, tapping cotton pads against his wound. Her face was a bit flustered while her eyes shone brilliantly, even though she appeared sad.

"I can't believe Evangeline did that to you. I know she is hurting from what happened to her in the past. I can't exactly blame her since she must have thought I stole everything from her. That is why I am trying so hard to make things work between us. But I think she had gone too far when she slapped you."

As Angel cleaned Eric's wound, her face slowly leaned closer to his. It was like she was being pulled by those silver irises which were looking at the floor. His long thick lashes were half-covering his eyes, appearing lifeless and broken.

Yet, all she saw was an opportunity. This was exactly the state Aldrick was at first until she coaxed and comforted him. And look at Aldrick now, head over heels in love with her!

She believed it would be the same with Eric too. After all, no better time to manipulate a man than their weakest moment.

But her reason why she comforted Aldrick was utterly different as to why she was comforting Eric now. The moment she saw that man in the hot spring, her mind already decided to possessed and conquer his heart –– whatever it takes.

Feeling Eric's hot breathes fanning her face, Angel's breathing hitched, and her heartbeat turned slow, pounding hard against her chest.

Her voice turned sensual, eyelids dropping a few centimeters, appearing irresistibly alluring. She could almost see the erotic steam coming out from their lips.

"Eric, if it is me . . . I will never hurt you . . ."

Angel kept murmuring as she focused on those thin and irresistible sensual lips. The image of Evangeline kissing him appeared in her mind, and she felt suffocated. A frenzied urged to erase any lingering signs of that woman from his scent overrode her brain. Leaning closer, she kissed the non-resisting man.

To her surprise, Eric, who was unmoving like a statue, shifted his head away, and all she felt was the cold rejecting air against her soft, moist lips.

Standing up, Eric's face remained lifeless as ever, yet his voice was firm and a little . . . angry. "I think I'd better go and arranged your things at the next shooting area."

Angel shut to her feet, and all the blood rushed to her head, which made her dizzy, causing her to wobble and fell towards Eric.

Fortunately for her, Eric didn't back away. She held her shoulders to steady her as his face didn't change one bit. Not showing any emotion except dejection.

At this moment, the door flung opened, and a deep, crisp, and worried panic voice resounded in the room.

"Angel, are you alright?!"